'Take a bow': Winning Cox Plate jockey hailed after 'unreal' feat
Jockey Damian Lane has put himself in contention to claim one of Australian racing’s rarest feats after winning the Cox Plate on Lys Gracieux.
The six-year-old mare brought her best form from Japan to claim the $5 million Cox Plate, Australia's weight-for-age championship.
Lys Gracieux! 🇯🇵
Japan wins the @CoxPlate. pic.twitter.com/HEJG3o0Sd8— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 26, 2019
She came with a surging run from the top of the straight to sweep past the three-year-old Castelvecchio with New Zealander Te Akau Shark finishing third.
The win means Lane has now won the Golden Slipper, Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate in an astonishing 2019 campaign.
The 25-year-old has a shot at the grand slam of Australian racing if he can somehow add the Melbourne Cup to his extraordinary list of wins.
Lane's remarkable achievement in claiming his third major tile of the Spring Carnival on Saturday, had fans in awe on social media.
Damian Lane has picked up the Golden Slipper, Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and potentially a Melbourne Cup. I’m here for this. @TheValley
— Maggie Payne (@maggiepayne_) October 26, 2019
Oh my lawdy. Damian Lane barrier 11 of 14 one off the fence midfield before the winning post the first time. Lys Gracieux obviously a freak, but so is the rider #CoxPlate pic.twitter.com/gPwCMEDIsX
— ralph horowitz (@rtralphy) October 26, 2019
Damian Lane having an unreal spring carnival ✈️
— Punters.com.au (@Punters) October 26, 2019
Damian Lane take a bow wowee. Some steer.
— Blake Robinson (@CaptainCrumbz) October 26, 2019
Damian Lane on track for the calendar year Grand Slam
— Matt Jones (@mattjonesy6) October 26, 2019
Damian Lane with that victory secures roughly $450K with the Golden Slipper, Caufield Cup, and Cox Plate.
— Justin Bryan (@Justin_G_Bryan) October 26, 2019
2019 Cox Plate winning jockey, Damian Lane chats to Chris Symons after an impressive performance on Lys Gracieux. pic.twitter.com/h3ugvxGPsG
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 26, 2019
A week after Mer De Glace won the Caulfield Cup for Japan, Lys Gracieux gave her rivals a start and a beating at The Valley.
It's another ominous sign ahead of the Melbourne Cup, with the Japanese raiders hoping to emulate the 2006 edition when Delta Blues became the country's first winner of the race that stops a nation.
With AAP
